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THE WA Government is spending $10m to add two more helicopters to its aerial firefighting fleet for what it says will be a busy fire season.
The two ex-military Black Hawk helicopters that will join the state firefighting fleet can hold up to 4500 litres of water each.
They will be available for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons and will be based to the north and south of the metropolitan region.
Premier Roger Cook and Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson made the announcement during a visit to the new $14.5m Cardup Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) Station, which is due to be completed in December.
The station will receive three trucks and be crewed by 36 firefighters.
WA Premier Roger Cook says they “acted early” ahead of a potentially tough season to secure the extra Black Hawks.
“The completion of Cardup Fire Station this year and the delivery of additional frontline career personnel is another important milestone for public safety.
Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson says the Cardup station is strategically placed near main roads, homes, schools and businesses.
“Our dedicated emergency services personnel are getting ready for summer – now it’s time for all Western Australians to play their part and spend 15 minutes creating a bushfire plan,” he says.
“Making decisions when the heat is on is extremely difficult and dangerous, so don’t leave it too late or you could be putting your family at risk.”
Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm says the 2023-24 bushfire season was longer and more intense than experienced in recent years and should serve as a wake-up call.
“The first emergency-level bushfire arrived much earlier than usual, in October 2023, and over the seven months that followed firefighters battled 5088 bushfires – 1000 more than the previous season,” he says.
“Key climate and soil moisture indicators are pointing to another challenging summer, so having 36 firefighters based at the new Cardup Fire Station and two more Black Hawks will be a welcome addition to our firefighting arsenal”.
Ultimately, he says, firefighters can’t be at every home during an emergency.
“It’s important that people sit down with their family now, complete a bushfire plan and agree on a course of action to keep them safe using the My Bushfire Plan app or website.”
